Tanguay scores tiebreaker in Lightning win

By The Associated Press
| 7:13 p.m.Dec. 26, 2009

Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Mike Smith kicks the puck away from the net as he stops a shot from the Atlanta Thrashers during the second period of their NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 26, 2009, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Steve Nesius)
— AP

Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Mike Smith kicks the puck away from the net as he stops a shot from the Atlanta Thrashers during the second period of their NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 26, 2009, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Steve Nesius)
/ AP

TAMPA, Fla. 
Alex Tanguay scored his first goal in 19 games, and Vincent Lecavalier had three assists to lead the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 4-3 victory over the Atlanta Thrashers on Saturday night.

Tanguay made it 3-2 from in close off Steve Downie's pass at 5:04 of the third. Ryan Malone extended the Lightning advantage to 4-2 with 13:15 to play.

Tampa Bay also got goals from Downie and Mike Lundin. The Lightning have four wins in their last 15 games.

Nik Antropov, Marty Reasoner and Ilya Kovalchuk scored for the Thrashers, who have lost four in a row. Kovalchuk's 22nd goal of the season cut it to 4-3 with 3:10 remaining.

Atlanta entered 7-0 this season when tied after two periods.

Lundin scored his first NHL goal - coming in his 111th game - from the low slot after taking a pass by Lecavalier as the Lightning went ahead 2-1 at 4:44 of the second. The defenseman was recalled from Norfolk of the AHL before the game.

Reasoner got the Thrashers even at 2 on a fluke goal with 3:06 remaining in the second. His shot hit the post and then went off Tampa Bay goalie Mike Smith's skate into the net.

Antropov extended his point streak to six games (six goals and eight points) with a rebound goal that put Atlanta up 1-0 at 11:48 of the first. Kovalchuk assisted on the goal and has eight assists and 14 points during a season-high nine-game point streak.

Downie tied it at 1 with 6:26 left in the first.

NOTES: Tampa Bay C Jeff Halpern and LW Todd Fedoruk are both expected to miss two weeks with undisclosed lower body injuries. The pair were hurt in Wednesday's 5-2 loss to Philadelphia. ... Antropov has a goal in seven of his last nine games. ... Lightning G Antero Niittymaki missed the game to be with his wife for the birth of the couple's child. Niittymaki is 14-0-0 against Atlanta. ... Tampa Bay also recalled G Riku Helenius from Norfolk.